centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter ˈsen-tə-ˌmē-tər  ˈsän- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₀₀ meter see Metric System Table

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In the metric system, which is used in most countries of the world, each basic unit of measure of length, area, or volume can be divided into centimeters. A meter consists of 100 centimeters, a square meter consists of 10,000 square centimeters, and a cubic meter consists of 1,000,000 cubic centimeters.

Examples of centimeter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

No one reports the type of flooding that on Tuesday doused the UAE, which often deploys the technology in an attempt to squeeze every drop of moisture from a sky that usually gives less than 4 or 5 inches (10 to 13 centimeters) of rain a year. —Brittany Peterson, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2024

Its close relative, the southern marsupial mole, is slightly bigger, at about 18 centimeters (seven inches), and found in central Australia. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024

The small hermit crab measures less than 1 centimeter, according to the university. —Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024

This spring’s periodical cicadas will make their appearance when the soil temperature 8 inches (20 centimeters) deep reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit (about 18 degrees Celsius). —Kate Golembiewski, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024

As the conservator announced in a Facebook post, the artifact is about an inch (2.8 centimeters) wide, 0.04 inches (about a millimeter) thick and made of lead and tin alloy. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024

In the past six months, Death Valley has received more than double its annual rainfall amount, recording more than 4.9 inches (12.45 centimeters) compared to a typical year that gets about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters). —Ty O'Neil, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2024

Photos show the small toy, which measures just a few centimeters. —Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024

The ground inflated rapidly—five centimeters at Mount Þorbjörnover a single week at one stage. —Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing centimeter

• centimeter-gram-second

Kids Definition

centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter ˈsent-ə-ˌmēt-ər  ˈsänt- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ meter see metric system

Medical Definition

centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter

variants or chiefly British centimetre

ˈsent-ə-ˌmēt-ər  ˈsänt- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₀₀ meter